Fagioli offered rewards for bringing Zaniolo into illegal betting scheme – Report | OneFootball

New revelations about the illegal betting scandal involving 12 Serie A players suggest that Nicolò Fagioli was promised gifts and financial rewards if he managed to involve more players in the gambling activities, leading him to bring Nicolò Zaniolo into the scheme.

Both Sandro Tonali and Fagioli were found recommending illegal gambling websites to other players, including Alessandro Florenzi and Zaniolo among others.

The two Italian internationals had frequent contact with Tommaso De Giacomo and Patrik Frizzera, two individuals identified as being responsible for the pyramid structure that coordinated the players’ bets, managing their accounts on the prohibited websites.

UDINE, ITALY – OCTOBER 14: Sandro Tonali of Italy before kick off at the UEFA Nations League 2024/25 League A Group A2 match between Italy and Israel at Stadio Friuli on October 14, 2024 in Udine, Italy. (Photo by Timothy Rogers/Getty Images)

According to the latest details from the players’ testimonies and the analysis of their devices, Fagioli was encouraged to connect De Giacomo with other players to expand his client base, in exchange for betting credits or deductions from his debt.

Fagioli promised gifts for involving Zaniolo in illegal gambling

While Fagioli denied attempting to ‘profit from friends’ Il Corriere della Sera reveals that this appeared to be the case in November 2022, when a chat between Fagioli and De Giacomo showed De Giacomo congratulating the Fiorentina midfielder for involving Zaniolo.

“Good, catch him… work for me… stay close to him because if I catch him well, really well as a client, I’ll clearly give you a gift,” De Giacomo texted Fagioli.

In a chat from March 2023, Fagioli himself seemed to ask for a reward, with De Giacomo replying: “I’ll load 5k as a gift for you, to pay for your ticket tonight since you brought me the client.”

HARRISON, NEW JERSEY – MARCH 24: Serie A linked Nicolo Zaniolo of Aston Villa and Italy reacts during the first half of the International Friendly between Ecuador and Italy at Red Bull Arena on March 24, 2024 in Harrison, New Jersey. (Photo by Adam Hunger/Getty Images)

Another exchange between Fagioli and De Giacomo reveals the player joking about Raoul Bellanova’s gambling losses: “Do you know what’s great? That I’m the one advising him (about betting on those sites, ed.),” Fagioli wrote.

“I’m laughing by myself… My percentage? You ‘load’ me half? You need to ‘load’ me because I bring you the clients… I made him lose two, and win one, so you also owe me the difference.”

Both Fagioli and Tonali were already handed sporting bans for their involvement in prohibited gambling activities, which included bets on football matches.

However, the other players are accused of using illegal platforms for online poker and betting, but not for football matches, meaning they would only risk a €250 fine if found guilty.